It?s the one issue on which the Newsweek columnist consistently hits the right notes. Unfortunately for readers, this week?s offering from Alter is far more typical of his standard dissonant fare: lamenting the death of cap-and-trade legislation and chiding President Obama mildly for his failure to waste more time on green jobs.

But let?s look on the bright side. If Alter?s campaign against reform-blocking teachers? unions bears fruit, perhaps fewer future columnists will be hoodwinked as easily by misguided government programs.